The Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District will be receiving sea oats seedlings in a few weeks.

If you would like to purchase sea oats seedlings to plant on your property, contact Suncoast Realty, 224 Franklin Blvd., St. George Island, or please call 927-2282. Seedlings can be picked up after April 2. The cost is $1 per seedling and a minimum purchase is 100 seedlings. Share the cost with a neighbor or neighbors and preserve the dunes.

Festival sticks to local seafood vendors

The organizers of the Carrabelle Riverfront Festival have announced that this year’s theme will be, “Pirates of the Carrabellian: The Treasure of Gullet’s Cove.”

Highlighting the event will be a new “food court” arrangement of tents where local seafood vendors and not-for- profits can serve up delicacies fresh from Franklin County waters.

“We’re never going to have anybody from out of town selling seafood at the Riverfront Festival again if I can help it,” said festival organizer Steve Allen said.

Commissioner Charlotte Schneider agreed. “Nobody can do fresh local seafood like our organizations,” she said.

Allen also promised an exhibit of at least 25 antique and classic cars at the festival this year.

He said new this year is a duck race to raise money for the school band and a dunking booth with local celebrities to raise money for the Franklin County Senior Citizens Center.

Clean Up Carrabelle Day this Saturday

At their April 3 meeting, Carrabelle commissioners voted unanimously to declare Saturday, April 12 as Carrabelle Cleanup Day.

Local citizens are banding together to tackle litter in the Carrabelle River Watershed. Carrabelle CARES will conduct a river clean up with the help of volunteers on Saturday at 8:30 a.m.

“Carrabelle CARES is dedicated to protecting the Carrabelle River because a healthy community starts with a healthy river. Clean and healthy rivers have the potential to provide everything from clean drinking water to recreation opportunities to fish and wildlife habitat,” said Lesley Cox, environmental chair, Carrabelle CARES.

Volunteers meet at the pavilion on Marine St. in Carrabelle on Sat., April 12 at 8:30 a.m.

Each faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $50,000 fine. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

According to court documents, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service became aware of a video posted on Facebook that showed one individual luring two manatees to a dock with a water hose, and another individual jumping off of a boat dock, “cannonballing” an adult manatee and a calf. Further investigation revealed that Martin was the individual who “cannonballed” on top of the manatees. Stephenson was identified as the one who lured the manatees to the dock with the water hose.

The video shows Martin landing on the back of the adult manatee as the manatees swim away. Stephenson then begins to use the water hose in an attempt to lure the manatees back as the video ends.

After the video was posted on Facebook, several people commented on it. In response to a post that expressed displeasure with Martin’s actions, Martin responded, “hahaha…in my debue [sic] as tayla the manatee slaya…im f---- ready to cannonball on every manatee living yewwww.”

"This case demonstrates our resolve to address the illegal harassment of manatees, as well as the enforcement of speed zones, and other more serious forms of take which result in the death or injury of Florida's endangered manatees," said Special Agent in Charge Luis Santiago, Southeast Region, Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

This case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.

Tapas trivia falls back to 7 p.m.

By popular demand, trivia night at the Tapas Bar in Apalachicola will start at 7 p.m. beginning on Tuesday, April 8. The game had been moved to 8 p.m. on

March 18 but reduced attendance and feedback from players led organizers to return to the earlier time.

Sea oats seedlings available

The Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District will be receiving sea oats seedlings in a few weeks.

If you would like to purchase sea oats seedlings to plant on your property, contact Suncoast Realty, 224 Franklin Blvd., St. George Island, or please call 927-2282. Seedlings can be picked up after April 2. The cost is $1 per seedling and a minimum purchase is 100 seedlings. Share the cost with a neighbor or neighbors and preserve the dunes.

Festival sticks to local seafood vendors

The organizers of the Carrabelle Riverfront Festival have announced that this year’s theme will be, “Pirates of the Carrabellian: The Treasure of Gullet’s Cove.”

Highlighting the event will be a new “food court” arrangement of tents where local seafood vendors and not-for- profits can serve up delicacies fresh from Franklin County waters.

“We’re never going to have anybody from out of town selling seafood at the Riverfront Festival again if I can help it,” said festival organizer Steve Allen said.

Commissioner Charlotte Schneider agreed. “Nobody can do fresh local seafood like our organizations,” she said.

Allen also promised an exhibit of at least 25 antique and classic cars at the festival this year.

He said new this year is a duck race to raise money for the school band and a dunking booth with local celebrities to raise money for the Franklin County Senior Citizens Center.

Clean Up Carrabelle Day this Saturday

At their April 3 meeting, Carrabelle commissioners voted unanimously to declare Saturday, April 12 as Carrabelle Cleanup Day.

Local citizens are banding together to tackle litter in the Carrabelle River Watershed. Carrabelle CARES will conduct a river clean up with the help of volunteers on Saturday at 8:30 a.m.

“Carrabelle CARES is dedicated to protecting the Carrabelle River because a healthy community starts with a healthy river. Clean and healthy rivers have the potential to provide everything from clean drinking water to recreation opportunities to fish and wildlife habitat,” said Lesley Cox, environmental chair, Carrabelle CARES.

Volunteers meet at the pavilion on Marine St. in Carrabelle on Sat., April 12 at 8:30 a.m.

Each faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $50,000 fine. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

According to court documents, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service became aware of a video posted on Facebook that showed one individual luring two manatees to a dock with a water hose, and another individual jumping off of a boat dock, “cannonballing” an adult manatee and a calf. Further investigation revealed that Martin was the individual who “cannonballed” on top of the manatees. Stephenson was identified as the one who lured the manatees to the dock with the water hose.

The video shows Martin landing on the back of the adult manatee as the manatees swim away. Stephenson then begins to use the water hose in an attempt to lure the manatees back as the video ends.

After the video was posted on Facebook, several people commented on it. In response to a post that expressed displeasure with Martin’s actions, Martin responded, “hahaha…in my debue [sic] as tayla the manatee slaya…im f---- ready to cannonball on every manatee living yewwww.”

"This case demonstrates our resolve to address the illegal harassment of manatees, as well as the enforcement of speed zones, and other more serious forms of take which result in the death or injury of Florida's endangered manatees," said Special Agent in Charge Luis Santiago, Southeast Region, Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

This case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.

Tapas trivia falls back to 7 p.m.

By popular demand, trivia night at the Tapas Bar in Apalachicola will start at 7 p.m. beginning on Tuesday, April 8. The game had been moved to 8 p.m. on March 18 but reduced attendance and feedback from players led organizers to return to the earlier time.

Library to arrange blind dates

Special to the Times

April 14 is the start of National Library Week. As part of our celebration, the Franklin County Public Library would like to fix you up on a blind date. A blind date with a book, that is!

We’ve selected a variety of books and wrapped them up so our patrons won’t know what they’re checking out. Inside each book we’ve placed a “rate your date” card. Tell us what you thought about the book you selected and then return the card to the library desk to enter a raffle. The winner will receive dinner for two at a local restaurant. Come to the Eastpoint or the Carrabelle branch starting April 14 and join the fun.

Later in the month we’re having another kind of date night. How would you like to enjoy a night out with someone special and watch a newly released movie? Join us at the Eastpoint branch on Friday, April 25 at 7 p.m. to view a 2013 critically acclaimed film starring Judi Dench. This is a free event, refreshments included.